Sirja-Liisa Vahtra. SchoolyardDiaLogue, 2006

SchoolyardDiaLogue is part of Rauma Biennale Balticum 2006 Wake up! –exhibition.

The work constists a collective painting project in collaboration with the students of Rauma Freinetschool. The outcome will be a display of two glowing installations situated at the schoolyard:

Night-glowing hopscotchs
Multiple models of hopscotchs overpainted with the night-glowing paint will be drawed onto the pavement at the schoolyard. The set of the gamesquares functions as a normal hopscotch as well as an aesthetic drawing presenting the form of the sun as an eternal source of light – all together a design visible/playable both in the daylight and in the darkness;

Glowing comic-strip with blackboard
Nearby onto the walls a night-glowing comic-strip will be mounted. The characters are created by students and present different seabirds as the symbols of free moving and adaption. The fact that the figures are made on black-boards, turns the piece to be partly ephemeral, moving, changing daily. Like our world is made up by random meetings and clashes, also this comic-stripe stays in the constant sequence of change - new encounters happen and new dialogues come out.

Subject
Project is based on exploring the field of common understanding between two democratic consepts: street-art and streetplay. Streetart herby cedes his aggressive side and becomes a peaceful place for social communication. It stresses to the importance of personal, human contacts and dialogues in the aim of cultural and informational exchange.

Artwork herby makes sense through the functionality:
1. Collaborative work. Artistic practice produces a model of temporary micro-community as up to 45 students of different age will be involved in the painting process;
2. Both of the installations are participatory by their characther - they seem similar to a living creature – begging for assistance and active communication, giving in same time the audience a chance of complements.

Materials
Flourecent white, yellowgreen and glow-in-the-dark paint on plywood and stone pavement.

Idea
The main goal on the work is to offer some joyful activities during the depressive Nordic camos. Idealistically it trys to overtake the ascendancy of darkness and present an opportunity of making human beigns gather to hold a direct dialogue in between.

In cooperation: Kapiteeli, Rauma Freinet -school, Rauma Art Museum, Raumars ry, Satakunta Network of Children´s culture, Satakunta Art Council – Ilon ja valon Satakunta